


No Regrets

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 00:19:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17818241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: "Life is full of regrets Torres, I screwed this up once and I won't make that mistake again.”Nick reveals his feelings to Gibbs after Ellie is kidnapped.





	No Regrets

**Author's Note:**

> For the Anon on Tumblr who requested it.  
> This probably sounds better then it is..

He could feel his anger right on the surface. It certainly didn't help having Jack sitting across from him, a worried look on her face. 

“This is a waste of time!” Nick snapped. “Why the hell am I in here when I'm needed downstairs or out in the field trying to find her!”

Jack sighed. “Nick, you've been going around snapping at everyone, they're only trying to find her just like you.”

“Well we aren't trying hard enough!” Nick ran a hand through his hair roughly. “She's been missing for  _ three days _ ! Three days of who knows  _ what _ happening to her, and I'm in here so you can try and get me to talk about my  _ feelings _ ?!” Nick's voice got louder, he was now standing making Jack look up at him. “I'm  _ pissed _ the fuck off, I'm worried, I'm terrified, I feel guilty that I didn't go with her to grab lunch then I could have stopped her from getting taken or at least I would be with her right now, but most of all I  _ hurt _ okay?! I fucking hurt knowing she's out there somewhere alone and most likely hurt!”

Nick stormed out of her office not glancing behind him to see the her understanding and slightly watery eyes as she watched him go. 

The second he got in the elevator he leaned against the back wall and hunched over, his hands resting on his knees. It was true, he had been snapping at everyone. He even yelled at  _ Kasie _ of all people, and yelling at Kasie was like yelling at a puppy. God he was a shitty person.

Nick clenched his eyes shut and tried taking deep breaths, he could feel a slight feeling of panic rise in his chest at the thought of Ellie being hurt. She could be bleeding out right now and he wouldn't even know. Hell she could already be dead and he- no, no he was sure she wasn't, as weird as it was, he was positive he'd just  _ know _ . 

He didn't even hear the elevators open, or the person walk in, not even the elevator stopping and the lights going out.

“Torres!” A voice barked. “Breathe, you can't find Bishop if you don't breathe.”

Nick took in a deep shuddering breath before letting it out shakily. 

“Gibbs?” He blinked, lifting himself to see Gibbs. 

“We'll find her, I'm not losing another agent.” He said forcefully. 

Nick nodded. “Right..we'll find her. But Gibbs- if we don't..I- I don't know what I'll do.”

Gibbs kept staring and Nick felt the words come tumbling out of his mouth.

“I love her Gibbs, and I know you'll probably kick me off the team but as long as we find her I don't care. I just- I need her alive and here, I've lost a lot of people but losing Ellie would be the last straw.”

“Tell her.”

Nick's eyes snapped to his, a little wide. “What?”

“When we find her and she can hear it, tell her. Life is full of regrets Torres, I screwed this up once and I won't make that mistake again.”

“I'm pretty sure you probably broke about two rules right there..”

Gibbs shook his head and slammed on the button starting the elevator again. “Just do it.”

* * *

Nick held a shaking Ellie against his chest as Gibbs and McGee waited outside for the ambulance. They would have taken her to the hospital themselves but they were worried about moving her too much, and she didn't seem to be in immediate danger. 

She had cuts, bruises, rope burns on her wrists and ankles, and some regular burns on her lower back but she was  _ okay _ .

Ellie had buried herself into his arms the second he reached her, she didn't even acknowledge Gibbs or McGee, he was her only focus and he couldn't deny he liked that, a lot. It also eased the ache in his chest. 

Nick moved a little but Ellie thinking he was moving away from her panicked, her breathing picking up as she gripped him tighter.

“I'm not going anywhere Ellie.” He said softly, one of his hands running over her hair soothingly. “Not ever.”

Ellie looked up at him, hope in her eyes. “Really?”

Nick swallowed. He wasn't use to this Ellie, the clinging touchy small-like Ellie. But damn if it somehow didn't make him fall for her more. He loved every part of her from strong badass to nerd to the not so strong Ellie that just needed someone to hold her.

“I love you Ellie, I'm not going anywhere unless you really want me to.”

A small smile came to her lips, she shivered a little making Nick hold her tighter but not tight enough to hurt her, his jacket was already over her. 

“I imagined you saying those words.” She whispered.

Nick blinked, looking at her with a slightly bewildered look. 

“When I wanted to give up, when it became painful-” Her voice cracked. “I imagined you saying it..and it made me keep fighting..thinking about how I wanted to hear them for real.”

Nick tried not to smile too widely (it was so not the time) as he pressed a kiss to her head. 

As the paramedics came seconds later, Nick stayed by her side and held her hand all through the ambulance ride, and somehow even convinced the doctors to let him stay by her side. 

When Ellie was finally settled and in her hospital bed, the words “I love you too” left her lips before she drifted off into sleep. 

Nick looked back to the window behind him where the team all stood. His apology clear across his face, they gave him nods or smiles to show they accepted. He turned back to Ellie, their hands still together as he fell asleep for the first time in three days, his head resting on the hospital bed. 

Ellie would have nightmares that would slowly fade, she'd be self conscious of her scars but Nick would be by her side for it all, giving her confidence once again as he showed her none of it made him love her any less, her scars in his opinion only made her more attractive. 

On the one year anniversary of the day they found her and said their ‘I love you's’, Nick would propose to give her a solid happy memory of the day, and on the second anniversary they'd get married in the backyard of her childhood home back in Oklahoma with their friends and family, Ellie's dress covering the small but still there bump that Nick placed his hands on as he kissed her for their first time as husband and wife. 


End file.
